The Trinamool Congress state general secretary and the party spokesman, Kunal Ghosh tried to downplay the incident claiming that the entire incident took place due to some misunderstanding.
The EC clarified that it does not have the power to deregister a political party, except on three grounds, which were outlined by the top court in the case of the Indian National Congress Vs the Institute of Social Welfare and others (2002).
The poll panel also said that the decision came after the numbers of both active and new COVID-19 cases have been receding and the restrictions put in place both by the Central Government and State Governments to check the spread of pandemic are being lifted or relaxed gradually.
The BJP also urged the Commission to immediately issue guidelines related to the strong room where the ballot boxes will be kept after the polls, till the beginning of counting
Assembly polls are scheduled in five states of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Manipur and Punjab.
The Odisha State Election Commission (SEC) has come under intense backlash from the BJP for allegedly showing favour to the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) ahead of the elections to various Panchayat Raj institutions and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in the State.
The assembly election in five poll-bound states are scheduled to begin from February 10. Polling in Uttar Pradesh will take place in seven phases, while Manipur will vote in two phases, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Goa will vote for assembly election in a single phase.
The ECI has also directed the social media platform companies to ensure compliance with the voluntary code of ethics amid heavy online campaigning due to ban of rallies.
The bench asked the lawyer not to name a state and refer to the pleadings to suggest the remedy to control the menace.
In a statement, the Commission said polls would now be held on February 20. It coincides with the third phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh.
According to the ministry, the Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan in his meeting with ECI presented the overall global and domestic status of spread of Covid, as well as Omicron, in the country.
The EC has issued a total of 26 additional symbols including Banyan Tree, Motor Car, Lantern, Brinjal, Basket, Candles etc for election to the office of Sarpanch.
Asked about the Omicron spread in the next three months, the health secretary said that nothing can be said at the moment.
As Odisha heads towards the Panchayat polls early next year, the elections for the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) including three Municipal Corporations and 107 Municipalities will be held after that.
"The Commission has decided to hold six bye-elections to the Council of States -- Tamil Nadu, Assam, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Puducherry and Madhya Pradesh -- to fill up the vacancies," said a statement from the EC.
The Odisha Municipal Rules (Amendment) Bill 2021 was tabled in the State Assembly on Monday. The introduction of the bill comes at a time when the elections are scheduled to be held next year.
The woeful tale of this voter from Siriapur village under Jasuapur panchayat clearly relates how easily political leaders forget their promises to voters after the elections.
The poll panel is seeking appropriate directions from this court fixing a timeline for filing of Election Petitions in the States/Union Territories of Assam, Kerala, NCT of Delhi, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.
In a memorandum submitted to the poll panel, the party stated that with the decreasing number of Coronavirus cases in the state, the conditions are conducive for conducting the bypolls with appropriate Covid protocols in place.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to expunge critical remarks of the Madras High Court holding the poll panel responsible for surge in COVID cases in country, and…
Bhubaneswar/New Delhi: With a rapid surge in COVID infection in Odisha, the By-election to the Pipili Assembly constituency scheduled to be held on May 16 has been deferred by the…
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday termed as too far fetched the poll panel’s plea for restraining media from reporting remarks in court proceedings and came out in support…
Kolkata: Physical distancing went for a toss as TMC supporters, thumbing their noses at the raging Covid-19 pandemic, hit the streets, beating drums, bursting firecrackers and smearing ‘gulal’ on one…
New Delhi: As the counting of votes for the Assembly elections in four states and one Union Territory is still in progress, the Election Commission on Sunday directed all the…
Kolkata: Considering the alarming spike in the number of Covid cases in the country, the Election Commission of India has made it mandatory that no candidate/agent will be allowed inside…
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Pradesh Congress on Tuesday demanded postponement of the upcoming Pipili by-election in view of the Covid-19 crisis that has hit the country as well as the State.…
New Delhi: The Election Commission on Tuesday banned all victory processions after counting of votes in states where assembly polls were held to check the spread of coronavirus. The counting…
Chennai: Lashing out against the Election Commission, the Madras High Court on Monday termed it “the most irresponsible institution in the country” and should probably face murder charges for not…
Kolkata: The Election Commission has decided to deploy 779 companies of central forces for the sixth phase of Assembly elections in West Bengal in which voters of 43 constituencies across…
Puri: The Pipili bypoll has been postponed following the untimely demise of Congress candidate Ajit Mangaraj who succumbed due to COVID-19 infection on Wednesday. The Puri Additional District Magistrate (ADM)…
New Delhi: Amid rising coronavirus cases, the Election Commission on Friday flagged instances of star campaigners and political leaders not wearing masks while campaigning, and asked them to follow in…
Kolkata: The Election Commission (EC) has again issued a show cause notice to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, seeking a written explanation for her “attempt to berate and vilify…
Thiruvananthapuram: The COVID-19 seems to play a spoilsport on the usual crowded culmination to the weeks-long poll campaigning in Kerala as the Election Commission has banned the years-long practice in the wake of the virus spread in the state. Based on the request of the state Chief Electoral Officer, Teeka Ram Meena, the Election Commission […]
New Delhi: The Election Commission on Friday ordered repoll at a polling station in the Ratabari Assembly seat of Assam after the EVM was found in a BJP candidate’s vehicle on Thursday evening. The EC in its order said: “The presiding officer and 3 other officials have been placed under suspension. Although the seals of […]
Bhubaneswar: The State Chief Electoral Officer of Odisha on Tuesday published the gazette notification for the upcoming by-election to the Assembly constituency of Pipili. The bypoll to the 110 – Pipili Assembly seat which has been lying vacant since October 4 2020 following the demise of 7-time MLA Pradeep Maharathy will go to polls on […]
New Delhi: The Election Commission has made record seizures amounting to Rs 331.47 crore under the expenditure monitoring process in Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry, even ahead of the upcoming Assembly polls. The record seizures have been made even though polling is yet to start in these states/Union Territory, as it is […]
New Delhi: The Election Commission has ruled out that there was any attack on West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee that led to her injuries, sources in the poll body said on Sunday. After reviewing the reports sent by its two special poll observers and the state government, the Commission concluded […]
New Delhi: With just six to seven months left for the Assembly elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala and Assam, the Election Commission (EC) has begun a mammoth drive for the scrutiny of officers being deployed in the five-yearly exercise aimed at achieving “free and fair” polls. It is being ensured that the […]
New Delhi: In a relief to Kamal Nath, the Supreme Court on Monday pulled up the Election Commission and stayed its order of withdrawing star campaigner status of the former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader. Senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, representing the Election Commission, submitted before a bench headed by Chief Justice S.A. Bobde that […]
New Delhi: The Election Commission on Wednesday shot off a letter to the Presidents and General Secretaries of all recognised national or state political parties, warning against flouting of Covid-19 guidelines issued earlier. It said that non-compliance of instructions during the period of “public interface” will attract actions as per provisions of Sections 51 to […]